Handy Guide to Las Vegas

The AANA Annual Meeting will be held in Las Vegas from August 10-13, 2013 at The Mirage Hotel. AANA presents these links for those who wish to learn more about Las Vegas prior to the meeting. The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists is not responsible for the content found at these websites, nor does the AANA endorse any of these sites or businesses. These links are for informational purposes only.
 

The Arts Factory
http://www.theartsfactory.com/
The Arts Factory is a commercial art center with artists representing a broad range of contemporary and traditional styles. Also enjoy a snack at the Bar and Bistro.
 
The Auto Collections
http://www.autocollections.com/
Open to the Public Daily, The Auto Collections features hundreds of automotive treasures from the past. Self-guided audio tours are also available.
 
Bellagio’s Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
http://www.bellagio.com/attractions/botanical-garden.aspx
Admire the essence of every season recreated with exceptionally gorgeous plants, flowers and trees thoughtfully arranged to inspire full splendor. Specially designed lighting spotlights every flower to accentuate its best features. Also enjoy live musical performances by classical and jazz guitarists daily from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
 
Bellagio’s Gallery of Fine Art
http://www.bellagio.com/attractions/gallery-of-fine-art.aspx
Org anized in partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), this landmark exhibition features works that illustrate the height of Claude Monet's engagement with color and light. The leader among the circle of 19th-century French painters known as the Impressionists, Monet made it his life's mission to capture the essence of nature and light with nothing more than paint and canvas.
 
Bodies… The Exhibition
http://www.luxor.com/entertainment/bodies.aspx
A dazzling and educational opportunity bringing you face to face with yourself is at Luxor. BODIES…The Exhibition, showcases real full-bodies and organs, provides a detailed, three-dimensional vision of the human form rarely seen outside of an anatomy lab. The Exhibition showcases 13 whole-body specimens and more than 260 organs and partial body specimens. These real human bodies have been meticulously dissected, preserved through an innovative process and respectfully presented, giving visitors the opportunity to view the beauty and complexity of their own organs and systems.
 
Casinos
http://www.lasvegas.me/las-vegas-casinos
Check out the reviews of some of the best casinos in Las Vegas.
 
Chuck Jones Experience
http://www.chuckjonesexperience.com/
Offering nearly 10,000 square feet of immersive entertainment for animators and animation lovers alike, The Chuck Jones Experience celebrates Bugs Bunny, Wile E. Coyote, Daffy Duck, Rikki Tikki Tavi, Pepe le Pew and dozens of the other characters that have shaped memories and surprised audiences for decades.
 
Circus Acts
http://www.circuscircus.com/las_vegas_entertainment/circus_acts.aspx
World-renowned live circus acts free everyday!
 
Death Valley National Park
http://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm
In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life survives in Death Valley.
 
Eiffel Tower The Ride
http://www.parislasvegas.com/casinos/paris-las-vegas/casino-entertainment/eif fel-tower-the-ride-detail.html
A signature of the Las Vegas skyline, the Eiffel Tower Ride at Paris Las Vegas is a replica of one of Europe’s most famous landmarks. On your journey to the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower Ride, our knowledgeable Ambassadors will point out unforgettable Las Vegas landmarks. Once on the observation deck, you will encounter a breathtaking 360 view of the Las Vegas Valley.
 
Fremont Street Experience
http://www.vegasexperience.com/
Located in Downtown Las Vegas, the Fremont Street Experience offers free nightly shows featuring 12.5 million lights and 550,000 watts of amazing sound at VivaVision. Enjoy free concerts and special events throughout the year. Take a walk through the Neon Museum, which hosts some of the old hotel's neon signs, located at the east end of the Fremont Street Experience. And the newest attraction, Flightlinez, takes you soaring on a zipline above the crowds for a once-in-a-lifetime experience under the lights of Viva Vision!
 
Gold and Silver Pawn Store
http://gspawn.com/
The History Channel's Pawn Stars pawn shop comes to life. Old Man, Rick, Corey and Chumlee are the stars of this pawn store. Stop by and see what they have to offer, or pawn something you own.
 
Golf
http://www.lasvegasgolf.com/courses/
Check out this list of golf courses near Las Vegas.
 
Hispanic Museum of Nevada
http://www.hispanicmuseumnv.com/
The Hispanic Museum of Nevada is dedicated to promoting awareness, education and resources of the diverse Hispanic cultures and traditions to enhance intercultural understanding among community members.
 
Hoover Dam
http://www.vegas.com/attractions/outside_lasvegas/hooverdam.html
A National Historic Landmark, Hoover Dam is the highest concrete dam in the Western Hemisphere, standing at more than 725 feet above the Colorado River. With 17 generators producing 4 billion kilowatts of electricity a year, it also is one of the country's largest hydroelectric power facilities. This Landmark is just 35 miles from Las Vegas so book your tour now!
 
Las Vegas 51s (Minor League Baseball)
http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t400
Catch a minor league baseball game at Cashman Field and watch some of major league baseball’s up and coming stars. The 51s are the AAA affiliate for the Toronto Blue Jays and they play in the Pacific Coast League (PCL).
 
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
http://www.lvms.com/
Las Vegas Motor Speedway's track is 1.5 miles long situated on more than 1,000 acres. There is seating for 123,000 spectators, and 102 luxury suites. Schedules for major events and the racing season are found on the speedway's website.
 
Las Vegas Philharmonic
http://lvphil.org/
The Philharmonic continues to entertain growing audiences with its classical Masterworks Series and upbeat Pops Series featuring some of the best touring artists in the world and offering patrons a variety of special events throughout the season.
 
Lied Discovery Children’s Museum
http://www.ldcm.org/
Lied Discovery Children’s Museum contains 23,000 square feet of temporary and permanent hands-on exhibits exploring science, art, culture and early childhood development. You and your children will be part of an informal learning environment highlighting discovery, surprise, and creative expression!
 
The Mob Attraction Las Vegas
http://www.troplv.com/entertainment/mob-attraction-las-vegas
Mob Attraction Las Vegas is a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience that immerses visitors into the world of the mob. It takes guest on a fun, exciting, interactive journey through the world of organized crime. Inside, visitors become a part of the story and go face-to-face with the mob, interacting with 3D holograms of famous mob movie icons such as James Caan and Frank Vincent, live character actors and make decisions that will determine if they become a part of the “Family” or…you probably don’t want to know.
 
The attraction also features an extensive collection of authentic, never before seen mob artifacts, memorabilia, photos and videos which give guests a look inside the personal lives of Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky and some of the Mob’s most notorious figures.
 
Machine Guns Vegas
http://machinegunsvegas.com/
Machine Guns Vegas (MGV) provides a uniquely Las Vegas firearms experience. MGV has combined the look and feel of an ultra-lounge with the functionality of a state-of-the-art indoor gun range. With 10,000 square feet of newly built floorspace, the facility is located less than 10 minutes from the strip. MGV has an array of firearms to choose from - from pistols to fully automatic machine guns to historical guns to one-of-a-kind SEAL weapons, there is something for every interest.
 
 
Madame Tussauds Las Vegas
http://www.madametussauds.com/lasvegas/
Get up close and personal with some of the world’s biggest celebrities at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas! With more than 100 celebrities, this world-famous wax attraction allows guests to immerse in interactive experiences with their favorite stars!
 
Rave Motion Pictures in Town Square Las Vegas
http://www.movietickets.com/house_detail.asp?exid=rmp&house_id=10647
Catch a movie at this modern, up to date theater.
 
Red Rock Canyon Natural Conservation Area
www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm_programs/blm_special_areas/red_rock_nca.html
Red Rock Canyon was designated as Nevada's first National Conservation Area. Red Rock Canyon is located 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip on Charleston Boulevard/State Route 159. The area is 195,819 acres and is visited by more than one million people each year. In marked contrast to a town geared to entertainment and gaming, Red Rock Canyon offers enticements of a different nature including a 13-mile scenic drive, more than 30 miles of hiking trails, rock climbing, horseback riding, mountain biking, road biking, picnic areas, nature observing and visitor center with exhibit rooms and a book store.
 
Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay
http://www.mandalaybay.com/shark-reef/aquarium/
At Shark Reef you can see all kinds or exotic natural wonders — sawfish, giant rays, endangered green sea turtles, piranha, jellyfish and the rare golden crocodile, to name a few. In all, there are over 2,000 animals in 1.6 million gallons of water.
 
Shopping
http://www.visitlasvegas.com/activities/shopping/
Check out this list of great places to shop in Las Vegas!
 
Stratosphere Tower Thrill Rides
http://www.stratospherehotel.com/Tower/Rides
Not only is the Stratosphere Tower the tallest observation tower in the United States, it doubles as an extreme thrill park. Enjoy the 360 degree view of Las Vegas from the top of this 1,149 foot building, then get your adrenaline pumping with four extreme thrill rides.
 
Storybook Wedding Chapel (Graceland Chapel)
http://www.astorybookchapel.com/
Several traditional Las Vegas wedding packages are available. Services include professional photography, video services, floral arrangements, web broadcast services, Elvis impersonators, complimentary round trip limousine service from your hotel to the chapel, and several souvenir memorabilia to help commemorate the special occasion.
 
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
http://www.luxor.com/entertainment/titanic.aspx
The 25,000-square-foot exhibit features numerous items from the Titanic, including luggage, the ship's whistles, floor tiles from the first-class smoking room, a window frame from the Verandah Cafe and an unopened bottle of champagne with a 1900 vintage. In addition, the exhibit features a piece of Titanic's hull, a full-scale re-creation of the Grand Staircase as well as a newly expanded outer Promenade Deck, complete with the frigid temperatures felt on that fateful April night.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Las Vegas Media

 

Like to do a little reading before you attend the Annual Meeting in Las Vegas? Check out the local newspapers and other media available.
Newspapers
 
 
 
 
 
Radio Stations
 
104.3 Now (KFRN)
New Hit Music
 
98.5 (KLUC)
Hit Music
 
Classic Rock
 
95.5 (KWNR)
Vegas Country
 
92.3 (KOMP)
Rock
 
Television Stations
 
KLAS-TV (CBS)
Channel 8
 
KTNV (ABC)
Channel 13
 
KVVU (FOX)
Channel 5
 
KSNV (NBC)
Channel 3
 
 
 

 August Heat Tips

 

Las Vegas in August is hot! Yes, it's a dry heat, but the sun pounding down during August temperatures can be relentless. Make sure you bring or have these items with you:
  • Water
  • Plenty of sunscreen
  • A wide-brimmed hat
  • Cool clothes
  • Parasol (umbrella)